This invention relates to providing a system for assisting a user in practicing roping skills, particularly heeling and heading roping skills. For example, team roping is a timed contest in a rodeo that features two cowboys competing together: a “header” and a “heeler”. The header ropes the steer's head (ideally the horns), dallies (wraps the end of the rope around his saddle horn) and pulls the steer with the rope. The heeler then ropes the back legs of the steer, dallies, and stops his horse. When the heeler catches and dallies, and both ropes are tight, the header stops and turns his horse to face the heeler, and the clock is stopped. The team with the fastest time wins the competition.
To be competitive, those participating in such competitions must practice to develop a high degree of skill in throwing the rope. For many reasons, it is often inconvenient or impractical to practice with a live steer. In the past, different kinds of mechanical roping steers have been developed to assist in roping training. However, the devices of the past which provide automated movement simulating a steer (to provide a more valuable training experience) have been complicated, bulky, and cumbersome to assemble and disassemble. In the past, mechanically-powered roping practice systems have required nearby sources of electric power.
Further, in the past, providers of roping practice systems have not provided much incentive to purchase their systems. Attempts to advertise and sell roping practice systems by traditional means have been relatively ineffectual.